Man, 46, is charged with posing as a victim to claim compensation after the Sydney Hanukkah massacre that killed 15

A 46-year-old Sydney man whose name has not been made public appeared in court on Tuesday charged with spreading false information to obtain a financial benefit and lodging a fraudulent claim that triggered a police investigation. He claimed to have been wounded at Bondi Beach on 14 December 2025, when two gunmen killed 15 people aged 10 to 87 at a Hanukkah celebration. He was granted bail and must return to court on 18 November.

The actual attacker, Naveed Akram, 25, appeared in court Wednesday on 78 charges, among them 15 counts of murder and one of committing a terrorist act.

His father, Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police during the attack; investigators say the two were driven by Islamic State ideology.

The fraud matter was adjourned to 18 November, while Akram's prosecution was pushed back to 24 February to allow time to consult with victims.